Zodiac Reborn
by doss.it
Summary: Robert attempts to find the true Zodiac, but you'll never guess who he meets. Robert goes through multiple experiences trying to catch the Zodiac, but he always seems to be one step ahead. This Zodiac ends with a twist and does not follow the last half of the film, but is worth the read.


As Robert Graysmith walks out of the convenient store Arthur Allen quickly makes a phone call to an unknown individual. Robert knows without a doubt he has the killer sitting in the palm of his hand. He quickly returns to his home to search for the man who was shot by the Zodiac killer, but ended up being a lucky survivor. Mike Mageu, the only survivor of a Zodiac interaction. "I have to find Mike. I need to know the truth, Arthur Allen is a psychopath killer."

Robert finds Mike and asks him to help identify the Zodiac killer. After a little convincing Mike is willing to look at the picture lineup in order to find the man that shot him. He was shot nearly a year ago, and does not feel confident in his memory of the man, or the events that took place that night. All he can remember is the pain shooting up his neck and into his brain. A type of pain unexplainable. He covers his wound as a remembrance of what happened, and in hopes of being able to pick out the correct man. Robert lays out seven different pictures of men with similar faces and body shapes. Mike contemplates for a couple seconds, but responds with a confident answer, "It's him. I never thought I would remember it, but I am almost sure this is the man." The man Mike picked out matches Arthur Allen, Robert knew he was the Zodiac killer from the beginning.

Robert has had multiple close encounters with wrong leads that cause quite a bit of trouble. He remembers one vivid time when he thought an old man was the Zodiac killer. He was in a possible killer's house, walking through the basement, with an eerie feeling creeping up on him every step of the way, but he had to find out. After a couple quick conversations with the old man Robert finds old papers that had been cut up resembling a letter he had once seen. A year or two ago a Zodiac "wannabe" was writing letters to the press using newspaper letters as a sense of code to hide his true identity. He hopes he will not have to wander through a rickety basement to catch this killer. He plans to follow Arthur to his work in attempt to find out where the man lives. Robert follows Arthur as he finishes locking up the store. Arthur turns the corner as Robert tries to quickly follow behind. Just as he reaches the end of the street he turns, and nobody. The streets are ghostly. "I can't catch a break… Who is this guy?" Robert starts to question Arthur's ability, how could one man outsmart the whole police department. Bingo! There is more than one man, why didn't anybody think of that. There is no possible way the Zodiac killer is able to disappear right when investigators come close enough to catch him. Who would help him? Thousands of questions are running through his mind. "I have to know the answer" Robert reassures himself. He goes to Paul Avery and asks for a tap on Arthur's phone based on the knowledge that Mike gave him.

Paul rebuttals, "That man was shot a year ago, we cannot use an old testimony. Plus, I think he's crazy anyway."

Robert is astonished, "I come to you with the biggest lead yet and you refuse? I am a cartoonist, but I have been right every step of the way. The man called into a live broadcast and talked openly about his actions! The hell is wrong with you Avery?"

Paul sits back in his chair, "Robert, I have no authority to tap his phone. Even if I did ask the Chief of police he would be hesitant to help out. The police are a political party, they're not here to protect and serve."

Ridiculous, I come in here with the final piece of evidence to catch this S.O.B and I am pushed aside. I can do this by myself, I don't need to tap his phone I will watch his work every day until I die.

Robert spends weeks watching Arthur's schedule, what days he works, where he eats lunch, and if he picks his nose at 12:08 Robert wants to know. He has rented out a hotel room across the street of the Hardware store that Arthur is at. After countless room service calls Robert starts to become annoyed. Does Arthur know I am watching him? All he has done is gone to work and went home with rare occasions of going to the grocery store. I was positive this man was the killer. Robert continues to watch Arthur through the hotel window, but only a couple days out of the week now. Months go by and there has been no sign of the Zodiac killer, at first we had him calling into talk shows, then multiple coded messages to the press, and now not a single thing for nearly a year. Robert starts to lose interest in his old passion and ends up writing his political cartoons with no relation to Arthur.

 _2 Years Later_

Robert picks up the newspaper every day on his way to work, in hopes to find just one thing about another lead on the Zodiac killer. As he is flipping through he sees the obituaries and notices a man had a heart attack in his county his interest peaks and he examines the biography.

" _A man who did not say much, but was full of wisdom. He was kind and gentle, I will never forget his face. Arthur Allen, you will always be in my heart and I know you are in a better place now. Thanks for your love and compassion, always." – Susan S. Allen_

Robert's jaw is dropped and he is turned silent by the words of Susan Allen. Arthur Allen is dead, and the Zodiac Killer was never caught. My whole lead, every bit of evidence, follows Arthur Allen now I have to start from square one. Susan has to know something about Arthur's life, she could tell me what type of man he was.

The door opens and an old white haired lady is standing at the door with a smile on her face and a white gown to prove her age.

"Why hello young man," she says smiling ear to ear.

"Hi, are you Susan?" Robert politely asks.

"Yes."

"Could you tell me a couple things about Arthur Allen?"

"Arthur has gone to a better place now. My son was a wonderful ray of light and he hasn't left much to remember him by." Robert could see the love for her child by her expression.

"Not a girlfriend, or kids? Did he have anybody besides yourself who was close to him in relationship?"

"Well there was this one boy who went to high school with Arty. I believe he still lives in this town, I have seen him on the newspaper."

"Any chance you know his name?" Robert cannot contain his excitement his heart is racing.

Susan starts to think, you can see it on her face. Her eyebrows narrow and bottom lip puckered out she starts to say something, "Avery. Avery something, he was a short boy with black hair. I believe he had two first names for his full name. John Avery maybe?" Robert looks defeated. He thanks Susan and starts to walk away, when something hits him. I've read the newspaper all of my life, but I have never seen an Avery John. The only Avery I have ever seen is Paul. Robert stops in his tracks and runs back up the steps just to catch Susan shutting the door, "Susan! Paul Avery? Was that the boy your son was friends with?" "Yes! That was him."


End file.
